2023 Volkswagen Tiguan Problems & Complaints

Use caution1.8× as many complaints as a typical year of the Tiguan at the same age

Owners have filed 70 complaints about the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. That is 1.8× as many as a typical Tiguan model year at the same age — above average, so look closely at the problem areas below before you buy. The most reported problem area is the engine & cooling (26 complaints, typically around 66,000 miles). One recall covers this model year.

70complaints
1recalls
1crashes
0fires
1injuries
0deaths

Most common 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan problems

  • Engine & cooling~66,000 miles
    2637%
  • Other / not specified
    1319%
  • Electrical system
    1319%
  • Driver assistance
    1217%
  • Transmission & drivetrain
    811%
  • Fuel & propulsion system~10,000 miles
    710%
  • Speed control & acceleration~14,000 miles
    46%
  • Windows, wipers & sunroof~1,000 miles
    46%
  • Brakes
    46%
  • Wheels & tires
    23%
  • Air bags
    23%
  • Seat belts
    11%
  • Equipment & accessories
    11%
  • Suspension
    11%

Share of the 70 complaints; one complaint can involve more than one system. "~" is the median mileage when the problem started.

Volkswagen Tiguan complaints by model year

’09’10’11’12’13’14’15’16’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25’261681101621531408462977629219314114327270765337
Owner complaints per model year, Volkswagen Tiguan. Colour = our verdict for that year (red: avoid, orange: caution, green: better than average, blue: too new).

Best Tiguan years: 2015, 2014, 2017. Years to avoid: 2022, 2018, 2025, 2024, 2019. Compare all years →

2023 Volkswagen Tiguan recalls (1)

Back over prevention › Software

NHTSA recall 25V-082 · Feb 12, 2025 · 29,569 vehicles

Volkswagen Group of America, Inc. (Volkswagen) is recalling certain 2022-2024 Tiguan, 2023 Arteon, and 2024-2025 Audi Q3 vehicles. An error may occur in the camera control unit at vehicle startup, resulting in the rearview camera image not displaying as intended.

Remedy: Dealers will update the camera control unit software, free of charge. Owner notification letters were mailed to Audi owners April 3, 2024, and Volkswagen owners November 18, 2025.Volkswagen owners will receive a second…

What 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan owners say

Engine & cooling all 26 →

The contact's granddaughter owns a 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while her granddaughter was driving at an undisclosed speed, the low oil pressure warning light illuminated. The vehicle was driven to the residence, where oil was added to the vehicle. The vehicle was then taken to the dealer, where an oil change was performed. Additionally, the dealer replaced the oil separator and gasket. The vehicle was repaired. The manufacturer was notified of the failure and informed the contact that the repair could not be covered because the vehicle was out of warranty and the previous oil changes were not performed by the dealer. The failure mileage was approximately 66,000.

66,000 miles · Jul 2025

The contact owns a 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan. The contact stated that while driving at an undisclosed speed, the low oil warning light unexpectedly illuminated. The failure persisted even after the vehicle had received several oil changes. The vehicle was taken to the dealer, but was not diagnosed or repaired. The contact was informed that an oil change was completed; however, the failure persisted. The vehicle was taken back to the dealer where it was diagnosed that the valve stem seal had failed and needed to be replaced. The vehicle was not repaired. The manufacturer was made aware of the failure. The approximate failure mileage was 72,061.

72,000 miles · Mar 2026

Electrical system

On [redacted], I took this vehicle to Galpin VW for service on the collision warning system which began to malfunction on a daily basis and would spontaneously come on multiple times throughout the day, without any other vehicles in front of me nor around me. The service advisor at this service center, Pedro silva, declared to me and my wife that this vehicle was unsafe to drive and stated that he is in contact with VW and their engineering department which instructed to run additional tests on this vehicle. This vehicle now has been in service for this same issue for 6 days and running, including the previous attempt to fix this same issue at Winn VW earlier in the week, which failed to result in any correction. …

Apr 2024

While driving on the highway in my 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan (approximately 70,068 miles), the EPC warning light and oil warning light illuminated and the vehicle began to stall/lose power. I exited the highway immediately and shut the vehicle down safely. A substantial amount of engine oil leaked from underneath the vehicle after stopping. The vehicle was towed to a Volkswagen dealership. Dealer diagnosis included: * cracked oil pan, * oil separator failure, * and timing chain cover leak. The dealership advised there was no metal contamination found in the oil or filter and no confirmed catastrophic internal engine failure at this time, though the long-term condition of the engine cannot be guaranteed after the oil-loss event. I am submitting this report because the sudden oil-loss event and stalling condition occurred while driving on the highway and created a potential safety hazard.

May 2026

Driver assistance

While driving south bound on i95 express lane, the vehicle in front of me stopped abruptly. I attempted to break but was unable to do so. Also the emergency breaks/front vehicle collision warning did not activate. In order to avoid a head on collision, I swerved to the right and my front left side made impact to the other vehicle on their right back side. This impact cause my vehicle to spin out of the express lane and into the regular traffic 180 degrees causing me to be facing incoming traffic. The air bags did not deploy- the state trooper, fire safety, and tow truck representative all commented that it should have. After the incident FDOT had to tow my vehicle to the shoulder prior to being towed away. During this time I was not able to turn the engine off- it remained on and was towed with the engine still running. …

Automatic emergency braking · Nov 2024 · crash · 1 injury

March 26, 2025 - Backup Camera & Sensor Failure: While reversing my Tiguan in a parking lot on a rainy day, both the rearview camera and parking sensors failed simultaneously. The screen did not display the rear view, and the sensors did not activate. Although I checked my mirrors, the low-lying wall on the left was not visible, resulting in damage to the left side of the vehicle. July 9, 2025 - Dealership Inspection: The vehicle was inspected at Volkswagen Bayside Service, where I was told no issues were found and that the camera and sensors were functioning properly. This assessment was conducted in controlled, non-real-world conditions, which I do not believe accurately replicate the environment in which the failure occurred. …

Blind spot detection · Mar 2025

2023 Volkswagen Tiguan engines & fuel economy

EngineTransmissionDriveMPG city / hwy / combined
2.0L 4-cyl turbo8-speed automaticFWD24 / 31 / 27
2.0L 4-cyl turbo8-speed automaticAWD22 / 29 / 25

EPA ratings. Class: Small SUV.

Frequently asked questions

Is the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan a good car?

Based on 70 owner complaints filed with NHTSA, the 2023 Tiguan rates use caution: 1.8× as many complaints as a typical year of the Tiguan at the same age. It is one of the Tiguan years we suggest avoiding. Complaint counts don't account for sales volume or individual maintenance, so have any used car inspected before buying.

What is the most common problem with the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan?

The engine & cooling — 26 complaints, 37% of all complaints for this model year, most often about exhaust system › emission control › crankcase (pcv). Next are the electrical system (13) and driver assistance (12).

How many recalls does the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan have?

There is 1 recall for the 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan, the most recent from February 12, 2025 (software). Recall repairs are free at any authorized dealer — check whether yours has been done with the VIN recall check.

What are the best and worst years of the Volkswagen Tiguan?

The best years by complaints, compared at the same age, are 2015, 2014 and 2017. Years to avoid or approach with caution: 2022, 2018, 2025, 2024 and 2019. See the full Volkswagen Tiguan years comparison.

At what mileage do 2023 Volkswagen Tiguan problems happen?

The median mileage reported in complaints is about 14,000 miles; 57% of problems with a recorded mileage started before 50,000 miles.

Source: U.S. National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) — owner complaints through October 20, 2026, recalls and defect investigations; fuel economy from the EPA. Complaints are unverified reports and are not proof of a defect. How we rate model years.